IFEC Brings On Board New Officers and Members

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New officers were elected by the Board of Directors of the International Foodservice Editorial Conference (IFEC) during the association’s annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, November 5-7. Officers serve one-year terms.

They are President Jeffrey Yarbrough, who is CEO of Big Ink PR in Dallas, Texas; Vice President Alexei Rudolf, principal of Foodservice Connections LLC, in Oakland, California; Secretary Jody Shee, a freelance writer in Olathe, Kansas, and Treasurer John Scroggins, vice president for NOBLE in Springfield, Missouri. Immediate Past President is Megan McKenna, who is director of marketing for National Mango Board in Orlando, Florida.

The other directors are Gail Bellamy, executive food editor for Restaurant Hospitalitymagazine in Cleveland, Ohio; Amelia Levin, a freelance writer in Chicago; Kelly Ruschman, vice president for Scott Advertising of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Barry Shuster, editor-in-chief for Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine in Cary, North Carolina. Directors serve three-year terms. Linda Funk, president of Flavorful Insight in Ankeny, Iowa, is advisor to the board.

IFEC's next annual conference is set for Portland, Oregon, October 28-30, 2013. The program will feature Portland’s top chefs using sponsors’ ingredients in “Tasting Portland,” a food-sampling event, tours of food producer and vendor sites, educational sessions exploring issues in communications and foodservice, as well as venues for IFEC members to showcase food and beverage products that they represent. The conference is open to IFEC members and industry guests.

Founded in 1956, IFEC is an individual-membership networking association of communication professionals working in the foodservice industry. Its 250-plus members include writers and editors for foodservice publications and public relations practitioners who represent food and beverage suppliers, restaurateurs, food management companies, and other foodservice organizations. IFEC's mission is to advance the industry through encouraging excellence in business-to-business communication. It offers both a student scholarship program and financial assistance to qualifying members to pursue professional development activities.